Handmade goldfish scooping ideas: How to make goldfish and scoops (poi)
Goldfish scooping is a classic feature of summer festivals.
Haven’t you tried it at least once?
In this article, we’ll introduce DIY ideas for goldfish scooping.
Since you can make them with construction paper, origami, or recycled materials, it’s perfect for indoor fun, and even children who can’t scoop real goldfish can play.
They’re also great for pretend festivals at daycare or kindergarten.
Some goldfish can even float on water, so you can enjoy them in your bathtub at home.
If you want an easy way to enjoy goldfish scooping, give these a try!
Handmade ideas for goldfish scooping: How to make goldfish and scoops (1–10)
Sponge sheet goldfish & paper-cup scooper
Fun from age 2! Here are ideas for sponge sheet goldfish and a paper-cup scooper.
Use them when children at school or at home ask to play “goldfish scooping.” It’s great because kids from ages 2 to 5 can enjoy it.
You’ll need paper cups, tissues, sponge sheets, a permanent marker, a stapler, scissors, a washbasin, and water.
The sponge goldfish, which look like they’re floating and swimming on the water, will spark children’s curiosity.
Goldfish Scooping on the Table: Net with a Hole!
https://www.tiktok.com/@matsurigroup/video/7395531678606724353There’s a hole in the scooper (poi)! Here’s an idea for a tabletop goldfish scooping game.
It’s perfect for anyone looking for a way to enjoy goldfish scooping casually without using water.
What you’ll need are a blue tarp or blue construction paper, a white crayon, leaves made from green origami, goldfish made from origami, and a scooper (poi) made from a paper plate.
The key point is that there’s a hole in the center of the poi, so unless you get creative, the goldfish will slip right through.
It’s a uniquely fun take on goldfish scooping that you can’t help but get absorbed in.
Slime Goldfish Scooping
Have fun with squeezables! Here are some ideas for a slime goldfish scooping game.
It can be difficult to handle live goldfish at home or in a daycare/classroom.
This time, let’s enjoy goldfish scooping using squeezables and slime instead.
You’ll need liquid laundry starch or PVA glue, water, borax solution, toy goldfish, beads, bags, craft elastics, containers, and more.
Unlike water, it takes a bit more strength to scoop the goldfish, but once you get the hang of it, kids can enjoy joining in too.
Give it a try!
Goldfish on drawing paper & scoops made from paper plates
Here’s an idea for a goldfish scooping game where you scoop paper goldfish made from construction paper using a poi made from a paper plate.
The poi is a paper plate with the center cut out and a handle attached; its lightness actually makes it harder to control, which increases the game’s challenge.
The goldfish are easy to make too—just roll and fasten strips of construction paper—so overall it’s simple to create.
By shaping the goldfish at an angle, you leave a gap between the table and the goldfish for scooping, so you can adjust the difficulty by tweaking that gap and the poi’s unwieldiness.
Putting care into decorating the goldfish is important as well—aim for cute designs that make people want to scoop them.
Goldfish scooping set made with origami
Let’s make it with your favorite color of origami! Here are some ideas for a goldfish scooping set made from origami.
It’s a perfect craft activity to enjoy with children.
You’ll need items like origami paper, round stickers, and a permanent marker.
Folding the goldfish and the scooper (poi) is also great for developing fine motor skills.
Goldfish scooping usually requires water, but with this idea you can enjoy it without using water, so it’s safe and fun indoors.
Try incorporating it into summer events or free play time.
Origami Goldfish & Construction Paper Poi
Here’s a crafting idea for making a goldfish scooping set using origami paper and construction paper.
Wrap a crumpled tissue with origami paper, secure it with a pipe cleaner, shape the tail, then stick on a round sticker and draw the eye—your goldfish is done, and it’s easy! The scooper (poi) can be made simply by combining a round-cut piece of construction paper with a pair of chopsticks, so it could also be used as a summer recreation activity.
You can make it even more vibrant by using your favorite colors of origami paper, and thanks to its cute look, it also works great as a room decoration.
Give it a try!
Sponge goldfish & disposable chopstick net scoop
Have fun making your own! Here are ideas for sponge goldfish and a scoop made with a chopstick net.
Aren’t there many kids who’d love to make their own goldfish scooping game? It could be fun for teachers or parents to just prepare the materials and let the children freely create and play.
It looks like an activity that will nurture kids’ creativity and imagination.
Taking turns to play with the finished goldfish scooping sets could also be a unique activity.
As a special summertime memory, be sure to give it a try!
Goldfish and scoops made from milk cartons
Here’s a craft idea where you make both goldfish and a scoop (poi) using milk cartons.
Because the goldfish are simply cut out of the carton into fish shapes, the original design is crucial—choosing which carton to use can be part of the fun.
The poi is also simple: just roll up thin strips of the carton and add a handle, so anyone can easily create a goldfish scooping game.
What you stick inside the ring is another key point: using thin washi paper makes it feel like authentic goldfish scooping, while a mesh strainer bag lets kids focus on the scooping motion.
You can also adjust the difficulty by making the poi harder to hold or changing the weight of the goldfish.
Goldfish candy & paper-cup scooper
Goldfish scooping that uses candy as pretend goldfish is colorful to look at and fun, don’t you think? It’s easy for anyone to make: just wrap each candy in its own small bag and draw eyes and fins on the bag, and you’re done.
Plus, the fact that kids can eat the candies they scoop is sure to get them excited.
The goldfish “pool” can also be made easily with familiar materials like cardboard, which is another nice point.
This is a craft idea I recommend for recreation.
Goldfish made of colored cellophane & a scooping poi on a tray
Goldfish scooping using colored cellophane is a great recommendation for summer events, as it looks cool and refreshing.
You can make a goldfish shape simply by crumpling some colored cellophane, wrapping it with another layer of colored cellophane, and securing it with a color tie, so it can be enjoyed as a craft for children as well.
The scoops (poi) can be made by cutting out shapes from food trays, so materials are easy to prepare.
Since scissors and an awl are used, care is needed during production, but many steps don’t require tools, making this a goldfish scooping craft that people of all ages—from children to the elderly—can enjoy.